Former SABC executive Hlaudi Motsoeneng has repeated his desire to occupy office in the Union Buildings.

He is planning to launch his own political party soon and will contest the 2019 elections, the Sowetan reported on Wednesday.

“I am going to contest [against President Cyril] Ramaphosa because I want to be the president of the country. I don’t think Ramaphosa can defeat me. I am going to shock the country,” he told the newspaper.

Motsoeneng told his supporters that he wanted to become president of the country when he appeared in the high court in Johannesburg on December 6 to fight the SABC over a multimillion rand “success bonus”. Judgment in the case was reserved.

“I knew what I must do to change people’s lives. I am going to run and lead South Africa as a president,” TimesLIVE quoted him as saying. “Don’t listen to people who are talking about qualifications, because there is wisdom in me. If you have wisdom, you know what people want,” he said.

Outside court, scores of people, including religious leaders, political parties and artists, gathered in support of Motsoeneng, saying he was their next president.

Political analyst Aubrey Matshiqi, when asked about Motsoeneng’s planned foray into politics, replied: “I am flabbergasted, that’s all I can say.”